chinos: hideous?

minimalist

Does anyone wear chinos? Thinking flat front.

At NR. Feeling frustrated with fit of women's bottoms, I wandered to menswear and tried on some jeans and wild-colored chinos. The burnt-orange Billly Reid chinos made me smile and were comfortable.(Tempted to post a photo, but I'd want to size up.)

But I don't recall any WIWs with chinos. Are they horrid by default?

I am getting black CoH low-rise bootcuts I found in women's. Will try them again at home.

12 years ago

Shopping

28 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

deb

Veteran

Chinos look really bad on me. I think it is my body type though.

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I associate them with uniforms. That's why I have them and how I wear them. And the ones I have are low rise Dickie's Girl brand. I wouldn't willingly wear them honestly.

12 years ago

carter

Veteran

I tried on a pair yesterday at Chicos that just didn't fit right. I have basic chino versions of ankle pants and crops, but I'd like to find a full length pair eventually. I'd like a pair that looks like a nice pair of pants. I have a couple of BR's version, but they just look so "weekend", they don't get out much.

12 years ago

Day Vies

Veteran

I honestly can't tell the difference between chinos and khakis. Admittedly I am not the biggest fan of the traditional color (though I wear it as a neutral with super bright colors) I love them in unexpected shades. I have them in mauve, stone gray, navy, and black. I have considered bright kelly green -- still considering, and plum. (I saw them in Kelly green on a man in a tea cafe and thought he looked divine. He had his green chinos paired with cordovan loafers, navy blazer, and bright white button-down)

Gap calls them perfect khakis and they're flat front and fit me so well. I bought a pair of Calvin Klein chinos several years ago and wore them until they fell apart I think fundamentally it depends on your core style and style goals. My personal style is modern classic and I refuse to look as if I represent the land of soul sucking beige.

12 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

I think many of us swore of chinos after a decade of wear --- that doesn't mean they can't be fab.

Chinos worn like a Target employee. Pass

Like Annie Hall? That could be very interesting.

Perhaps you'll be the first to start a YLF chino trend.

12 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

I wore them for 25 years and then just stopped. I don't know if it was because of ylf or some other reason. A colleague who is a well dressed modern classic wears them well.

12 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

I have never loved them but then I think it's just that they are not reflective of my style preference. I tend to think most things can be stylish is worn well. I am wondering if Angie has done a post of Chinos? Off to find out.

12 years ago

MuseumGal

Veteran

My only pair of chinos are for field work, but they are loose fitting and quite sturdy.
But I don't see much difference between a modernized pair of chinos (slim fit, ankle length) and any other pair of pants out there, esp if they are not khaki colored.

12 years ago

dustt

Veteran

I'll admit to still wearing them - love them with the right other key pieces - mine are a bit boyfriendy- midrise and otherwise slim - I wear them ankle length with a wide belt and a simple black turtleneck sweater and brogue oxfords. My style leans heavily to modern classic so they are a good fit for me - but it's easy to veer off into target employee look if you are not very deliberate with them!!

12 years ago

Susie

Veteran

I have never really worn them but I think they are like many other items in that it is all in the styling. And a cool color is definitely more appealing to me than khaki.

12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I used to live in them- stone and khaki. And pleats!

I still think the fabric is very useful in my mild climate, for which I often still want leg coverage but breathable and NOT capri's. for long car trips I'd rather wear them than jeans, and for hiking when true gear is unnecessary.

I have a different type now and use mostly for indoor/outdoor casual -- not as much a crisp prep look.
I have some EB curvy straight legend wash in dark gray and a taupey brown.
Wear with my version of Converse and sometimes a knit blazer. A color I would wear if found the right fit would be a dark red or burgundy. Dark colors are best.
Also love dustt's Oxford plan since these pants are straight and do not fit well over boots.

For me the chino is a look that now requires some thought to keep out of frumpdom but can still pay off. Also I don't need but a few of the best " looks" in this capsule.

12 years ago

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Not really my thing... but gotta say these days my three sons are preferring skinny chinos to jeans...

12 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Just remembered, I used to have a soft black pair, so basic but got compliments on them all the time. If only I remembered the brand, something Italian.

Day Vies, I'll check out Gap and CK for fit and color. (Hesitant about their sourcing practices.)

unfrumped, what is EB? (Also, where do you get your knit blazers?)

Museum Gal and others, rest assured, I'm not going khaki colored!

Deborah, did you find anything?

Beth Ann, now I need to look up Diane Keaton images. Wonder what's her style, versus characters she's played?

12 years ago

Astrid

Veteran

They've become quite popular with people my age. Last spring some of my friends wore them rolled at the ankle in a relaxed fit. I've also seen many guys wearing them, like Tracey said. I've tried a few pairs over the last two years, but never found one that fit well and looked good enough to my eye. I didn't try very hard though.

12 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Just found this:
http://www.theguardian.com/fas.....ner-morley

I don't have the banker-weekendwear associations this writer does, nor am I sure I agree with her statement that they should be hemmed at ankle length. I like pants cut long, even if it means extra wear and cleaning at the hems. Maybe I'm wrong about this with chinos, though?

12 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I think the point is that unless you hem or roll your chinos to the ankle, you risk looking like an unreconstructed chinos-wearing banker or Target employee.

12 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

They were probably never my best look ( those side pockets are tricky on hips), but I haven't really worn them in a few years. They're not really in line with where my style has been heading recently. Perhaps just the right fit and an interesting color (forest green or burgundy?) would make me consider a pair again.

12 years ago

Anonymous

I love them in theory, but whenever I try to wear them, something goes horribly wrong. And it doesn't help that I like the traditional khaki color the best. I'm not sure what the solution is!

12 years ago

Catnip

Veteran

Theoretically they could look fine, and I used to wear them a lot on the weekends. But it's been several years since I've even considered them. I think the problem is the way they traditionally fit, which is way too baggy for my current taste. I would love to find a pair of khaki or beige colored skinny or straight jeans which could fill the place of chinos in my wardrobe, but not look so frumpy.

12 years ago

Jeanie

Veteran

I always like the ones in the Jcrew ads but I haven't tried them. I think the skinny fit would be stylish. I do have an old lose fitting pair that I lounge in. I adore the cotton twill fabric because it seems to repel pet hair and just seems more comfy the more you wash it.

12 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

EB is Eddie Bauer. For pants I almost always have to use a maker who offers a curvy fit.
This past summer I had some casual blazers by Cremieux, Olivia Moon and some TJ Maxx types. I was experimenting with how to look
more "polished" but still very comfortable-- from car trip to casual family gathering & restaurant dinner, for example, without appearing too dressed up or with a lot of wardrobe changes.

12 years ago

dustt

Veteran

these are the ones I got this summer -definitely not an investment piece!! bought the talls and unrolled they are right to the ankle bone- they have transitioned well into fall with the required t-neck sweater - half tucked and the aforementioned oxfords - I found them to be extra generous in the seat (of which I have little - so I sized down and am happy with the fit, wearability, and washability!!

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....siteID=GAP

12 years ago

Marley

Veteran

I tried wearing an old pair of mine last spring - rolled and scrunched to just below the knee, kind of a slouchy skinny look. I felt pretty good in them, but then I caught an image of myself in the store - and I thought - woa! NOT WORKING! I haven't worn them since - but, I still keep thinking that I might find a way to make them work!

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I tried those BF skinny khakis Dustt linked to in black earlier this summer hoping to find a shorts alternative for my work uniform. They didn't work for me. Seemed too curvy cut in the hips/seat and not really BF ish. (In hindsight I probably should have sized down. If I end up back at the same job next spring perhaps I'll order again in the smaller size)

12 years ago

Scarlet

Veteran

I bought some in the summer to wear like Astrid described. I think they are having a revival.

12 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I like the skinny legged J Crew ones in the spring and fall with jackets and sweaters as an alternative to jeans. I've always thought of them just as cotton pants because khaki is a color more than a style to me, and I've always associated chinos with men's pants.

12 years ago

Anonymous

Not a fan of them on most women. Most seem to have that high mom jean rise.

12 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

The Andie chinos from jcrew aren't bad - they are comfortable and more streamlined. True to size for me in a slightly fitted way but they do stretch. I think they are best rolled up even more than their ankle length. And I'm still playing around with how to style them right. I think adding more interest to the outfit is really required - a leopard print belt and semi-tucked top that has some feminine flair for example. This keeps them from looking like the old "work khakis" we all seem to hate. These are the first chinos I've chosen to wear in quite some time. The color of the British Tan (I think that's what it was) is a bit darker (not stone or pumice but more like my hair color). They have them in other colors too.

12 years ago

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